Cold Partridge Pie

Ingredients

• partridges (number according to pie size)
• good farce (stuffing)
• raw truffles (1 whole per partridge)
• undressed veal (slices for bottom of pie)
• lean ham (for bottom of stew-pan)
• partridge bones and giblets
• dozen shallots
• few bay leaves
• little mace
• fagot of thyme and parsley
• ½ pint good stock
• ½ pint Madeira

Directions

1. Prepare the partridges and fill them with farce.

2. Place a whole peeled raw truffle inside each partridge.

3. In a pie dish, layer slices of undressed veal at the bottom, season, and add a layer of farce.

4. Add the partridges and four raw truffles for each partridge, covering them well with farce.

5. Cover the bottom of a stew-pan with lean ham and add the partridge bones and giblets.

6. Add shallots, bay leaves, mace, thyme, and parsley to the stew-pan.

7. Pour in ½ pint of good stock and simmer slowly for 1 hour.

8. Add more stock to fill the stew-pan and let it boil slowly for 3 hours.

9. Strain the stock and reduce it to about half the quantity.

10. Stir in ½ pint of Madeira and set aside until needed.

11. After baking the pie, let it cool for 30 minutes before filling it with the stock, without removing any fat.

12. Repeat filling the pie 2 or 3 times as it soaks in.